The present invention relates to the use of a removable film storage apparatus containing an endless loop of flexible web material such as the master picture negative for use in conjunction with a film printing machine that prints the master picture negative and/or the master sound track onto a length of raw stock or unexposed film. The scope of the present invention incorporates both the apparatus for and the method of using said storage apparatus containing an endless loop of film while immersed in a tank containing a continuously filtered liquid, for use with a film printing machine that exposes film either in air or in a liquid medium.
For the purposes of high volume, high speed duplication of motion picture film, one highly inefficient system is presently employed by the industry. The master negative and the master sound track are housed in large cabinets or structures and are threaded over numerous rollers in these cabinets which support and transport the long lengths of photographic film while it is being fed in a loop both to and from a conventional motion picture printing machine in which the film is threaded in a conventional fashion. These devices may be driven by self-contained or external rotational means such as electric motors or may be of a non-driven configuration utilizing conventional low friction bearings in the numerous rollers and/or their supporting shafts. The present system contains numerous disadvantages. The cabinets are volumetrically inefficient insofar as space is concerned. The on-loading and off-loading of the master picture negative and the master sound track is a time-consuming and hazardous operation since the film is subjected to possible tears and abrasions due to the large number of rollers involved. The presently used system operates in an air medium which has the problem of static electricity being generated by the strips of film which in turn attracts particulate matter thus causing wear and tear on the film in spite of air-vacuum squeegees and static eliminating devices commonly used.
Due to the voluminous construction of the apparatus and the large number of rollers over which the film must pass, the master picture negative and the master sound track is subjected to enormous wear and tear and therefore the useful life of these master negatives is significantly limited. The enormous size of the present system also presents a large maintenance problem and large amounts of time must be spent on maintaining the cleanliness of the cabinet and the rollers.
A second system also in use of the purposes of high volume, high speed duplication of motion picture film involves the use of running a loop of master picture negative and a loop of master sound track through a motion picture printing machine while the raw stock or unexposed negative is passed through the machine from above to come in contact with the masters at the point of printing. Referred to in the trade as a panel printing machine, it is inefficient for two reasons. First, the operator must stop the film after one full roll of print negative has been exposed in order to cut the exposed print film and thread a new roll of raw stock (unexposed film) so that the machine can be run in the reverse direction to expose the next roll of exposed print film. This involves a considerable loss of time. It also involves wasting unexposed film. For example, if the unexposed film roll is 1000 feet and the masters are 980 feet, the 20 additional feet of film on the unexposed roll is not used and is therefore wasted.
Both of the systems presently in use have significant disadvantages. The present invention solves many of the problems occurring in the existing systems and provides a significant improvement in high volume, high speed duplication of motion picture film. While the description in the specification relates to the use of motion picture film, the present invention is broad enough in scope so as to cover any flexible web-type material such as microfilm, paper, vinyl, and any other type of material which uses the apparatus and method described in this specification. It is therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a means for greatly reducing the physical volume required to contain a given amount of film which is generally large.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a means for supplying the master picture negative and the master sound track to a motion picture printing machine through an apparatus which significantly reduces the amount of rollers over which the film must pass, thereby providing far less wear and tear on the film and significantly increasing its useful life.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method which enables the master picture negative and the master sound track to be immersed in a body of liquid while being maintained in storage and also while in use during the film printing process. By having the film immersed in a liquid, the problem of static electricity is eliminated and the film can be wound in much higher density without the concern of abrasion which would degradate the film and significantly limit its useful life.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method which enables the master picture negative and the master sound track to be continuously supplied to the motion picture printing machine over and over without the necessity of rewinding the master track after a run before it can be reused.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for providing the master picture negative and the master sound track to the motion picture printing machine which is easily maintained and which does not have a large number of rollers and other physical apparatus which must be cleaned.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for and method of high speed high volume duplication of motion picture film which allows the unexposed print film to be continuously run through the motion picture printing machine by virtue of the fact that the master picture negative and the master sound track are simultaneously continuously running, thereby eliminating delay caused by the necessity of rethreading of the master negatives.